Neymar is not ready for an imminent return to Al Hilal after spending almost 12 months out with a knee injury, the club's head coach Jorge Jesus has said.
The Brazilian star joined the Saudi Pro League (SPL) side in August 2023 but played just five games before tearing his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while with the national team last October.
Neymar, 32, underwent surgery and returned to training in July. There has been speculation since then about his imminent return, but coach Jesus lowered expectations in a post-match press conference.
“Neymar is an important player for Al Hilal and for the league in general,” Jesus, who led Al Hilal to their 19th league title in May, said on Tuesday. “However, I cannot specify a date for his return, but we will analyse the situation in January.”
Neymar will be eligible to sign for Al Hilal in January for the second half of the SPL season.
As SPL teams are allowed to register a maximum of eight foreign players over the age of 21, Neymar's place in the squad for the first half of the league campaign was taken by Marcos Leonardo, signed from Benfica at the beginning of September.
However, once fit, Neymar will be eligible to take part in Al Hilal's ongoing AFC Elite Champions League campaign as the continental competition has no restrictions on the number of foreign players allowed.
His contract with the club expires in August 2025.
